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Ugandan authorities crack down on fermented banana drink

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

By Rodney Muhumuza | Associated PressMBARARA, Uganda — At least once a week, Girino Ndyanabo’s family converges around a pit in which bananas have been left to ripen. The bananas are peeled and thrown into a wooden vat carved like a boat, and the patriarch steps in with bare feet.The sweet juice he presses out is filtered and sprinkled with grains of sorghum, which converts the juice into ethanol, and left to ferment for up to a day. The result is a beverage Ugandans call tonto, or tontomera, a word in the Luganda language that alludes to drinkers’ poor coordination. Weaker than bottled beer, the drink has a fruity aroma and bits of sorghum floating on its dark surface.Tonto is legendary in Uganda. Folk singers have crooned about it, politicians seeking a common touch take a sip when hunting for votes, and traditional ceremonies terminate at dusk with tonto parties. Its devotees are many, ranging from officials in suits to laborers in sandals.But its production is under ...

Montana man arrested for allegedly breaking into multiple Petaluma homes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

(KRON) -- A Montana man was arrested on Tuesday morning after he allegedly broke into multiple homes in Petaluma, the Petaluma Police Department said. Police said the suspect attempted to sexually assault one resident. Police were notified about the burglar at about 8:44 a.m. Tuesday when he tried to break into a home on the 400 block of Bodega Avenue, PPD said. The man was scared off by dogs at the home and drove away before the resident called police. Shots fired during attempted car thefts in East Bay About 15 minutes later, PPD received several calls from the Eden Lane area regarding a man breaking into several homes. Police arrested the suspect and identified him as Hans Schweitzer, 37, of Montana. According to a police investigation, Schweitzer entered one home on Eden Court, pinned a woman who lived in the home against a wall, and attempted to kiss her. The woman and her young child got away after a struggle and went to a nearby home. Schweitzer moved to another home and w...

James van Riemsdyk has a goal, 2 assists to lead Bruins over Blue Jackets 4-1

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — James van Riemsdyk scored on a power play and added two assists, lifting the Boston Bruins over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Tuesday night and extending their win streak to four games.Kevin Shattenkirk, Danton Heinen and Trent Frederic added goals, and Linus Ullmark stopped 25 shots to win the rubber match in the team’s three-game season series.Kent Johnson scored and Spencer Martin stopped 23 shots for Columbus, which has lost two in a row and five of its last six. The Blue Jackets sit last in the Metropolitan Division. The Bruins maintained their lead atop the Atlantic Division.After a scoreless first period in which Boston was outshot 12-5, the Bruins took control of the game with a pair of goals in both the second and third periods.Shattenkirk gave the Bruins a lead at 2:12 of the second with his third goal in three games, an uncontested shot from the right circle. Columbus pulled even 1:52 later with Johnson’s laser from between the circles. Dmitri Vor...

Ryan Flaherty hired as bench coach on manager Craig Counsell’s first staff with the Chicago Cubs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Ryan Flaherty is the new bench coach on manager Craig Counsell’s first staff with the Chicago Cubs.The Cubs announced their major league staff on Tuesday, which includes 10 returning coaches from last year. Counsell was hired by Chicago in November, replacing David Ross in a surprise move.The newcomers include bullpen coach Darren Holmes and major league field coordinator Mark Strittmatter. John Mallee, who served as the Cubs’ hitting coach from 2015-17, is an assistant hitting coach after spending last season as Triple-A Iowa’s hitting coach.Tommy Hottovy (pitching coach), Dustin Kelly (hitting coach), Willie Harris (third base) and Mike Napoli (first) are all back from the 2023 staff.The 37-year-old Flaherty worked for the Padres for the past four years, spending the 2023 season as the team’s bench coach/offensive coordinator. He was selected by the Cubs with the No. 41 pick in the 2008 amateur draft, and the infielder played for Baltimore, Atlanta...

Clouds may block view of Quadrantids meteor shower in DC area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

The D.C. area is predicted to be clouded out Wednesday night and part of Thursday morning for the first major meteor shower of 2024, the Quadrantids Meteor Shower.This shower has a sharp peak period of about six hours to see the maximum number of meteors, about 100 an hour under dark skies. The peak is predicted for Thursday morning at 7:53 a.m. EST.The best thing we can do is to check Clear Sky Chart for updates on our skies.But there is plenty to see in January’s skies.Be safe out there with the possibility of a weekend storm.Follow me on Facebook, X @SkyGuyinVA and my daily blog to keep up with the latest news in astronomy and space exploration. You can email me at [email protected]

St. John’s basketball standout Gus Alfieri dies at 87

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Gus Alfieri, a standout basketball player at St. John’s who later became a very successful high school coach and an author, has died. He was 87.St. John’s said a family member informed the school that Alfieri died Monday. No cause of death was provided.Alfieri helped St. John’s win the 1959 National Invitation Tournament, scoring 15 points in the championship game, a 76-71 victory over Bradley in double overtime at Madison Square Garden. He averaged 10.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in 72 career games over three seasons from 1956-59 and in October was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class.Following his college career, Alfieri became the head coach at Saint Anthony’s High School on Long Island. He led the program to two New York State championships, four NSCHSAA titles and 328 wins from 1968-86. The basketball court at St. Anthony’s was renamed in his honor in 2016.Alfieri ran the All American Basketball Camp on Long ...

Baylor opens new basketball arena on banks of Brazos River

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

WACO, Texas (AP) — Baylor’s basketball teams are playing in a new home along the banks of the Brazos River after 35 years under the golden dome of the Ferrell Center. The 18th-ranked Bears christened the brand-new Foster Pavilion in their nonconference finale on Tuesday night against Cornell. The sixth-ranked women’s team debuts Wednesday night against instate rival and 23rd-ranked TCU in a matchup of undefeated Big 12 teams. While there are parts of the $212 million facility not yet completed away from the court, the 7,000-seat arena with standing-room space for about 500 more spectators was ready for games. It came 18 months after ground was broken in May 2022.Athletic director Mack Rhoades said there were a lot of conversations about whether to move in for games without everything done. “There were two primary drivers for us when we thought about that decision. One was our student-athletes, giving our student-athletes, particularly our seniors, an opportunity to play ...

Joel Embiid returns with seventh career triple-double in 76ers’ rout of Chicago Bulls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 31 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists in his return from a sprained right ankle, Tyrese Maxey scored 21 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 110-97 on Tuesday night.Embiid missed all four games on the 76ers’ holiday road trip, and they went 2-2. One of those games was in Chicago just three nights earlier, a 105-92 loss in which the Sixers never led in the second half.Embiid is the reigning NBA MVP for a reason. With the big man back, the Sixers turned this into an early blowout against a Bulls team that had played well recently without injured guard Zach LaVine. LaVine can return to the lineup as early as Friday. Even the two-time All-Star wouldn’t have helped much in this one as the Bulls fell to 10-6 this season without him.The 76ers raced to a 43-18 after one quarter, with the Bulls missing all 10 3-pointers.DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 16 points. Andre Drummond had 11 points, 17 rebounds and muffed a dunk to the delight...

With Edey leading the way, No. 1 Purdue ends Maryland’s 19-game home winning streak 67-53

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Zach Edey had 23 points and 12 rebounds, and No. 1 Purdue cruised past Maryland 67-53 on Tuesday night to snap the Terrapins’ 19-game home winning streak.The Boilermakers (13-1, 2-1 Big Ten) won their sixth straight, having little difficulty with an offensively challenged Maryland team. Purdue hadn’t won at Maryland since 2017. Although the Terps (9-5, 1-2) hung tough defensively for a while, they couldn’t overcome shooting woes that have made this season a disappointment.The Boilermakers took an 8-0 lead and forced Maryland to take an early timeout. The Terps managed only 19 points in the first half and trailed by 13 at the break. Purdue quickly pushed the lead to 22 in the second.Jahmir Young scored 26 points for the Terps, the only Maryland player with more than nine. Braden Smith scored 14 points for Purdue and Lance Jones added 11.No. 4 UCONN 85, DePAUL 56STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Cam Spencer scored 20 points to lead UConn to its 17th straight win over DePau...

Georgia 2-time Mackey Award winner Brock Bowers announces plans to enter NFL draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:31 GMT

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Junior tight end Brock Bowers, who led No. 6 Georgia in receiving despite missing four games, confirmed his plans to enter the NFL draft on Tuesday night.Bowers announced his decision on Instagram.Bowers led Georgia with 56 catches for 714 yards and six touchdowns. He initially missed only two games after having surgery for a high ankle sprain but ultimately missed two more games, including the Bulldogs’ 63-3 rout of No. 4 Florida State in the Orange Bowl.Georgia junior wide receiver Ladd McConkey also announced his plans to enter the NFL draft. Bowers is widely projected as a first-round pick in the NFL draft, thanks to his combination of speed and good size (6-4, 240).Bowers’ announcement came one day after running backs Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton, the team’s leading rushers, said they will enter the draft.Bowers was a two-time winner of the John Mackey Award presented to the nation’s top tight end. For his career, he had 175 recep...